Rail-securing device.



W. L. DE REMER.

RAIL SECURING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED sBPT.z1,1911.

Patented J an. 6, 1914.

COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH Co.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

W. L. DE REMER.

l RAIL SBGURING DEVICE.

APPLIGATION FILED sEPT.21,1911.

1,083,436. Patented JalLG, 1914.

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WILLIAM L. DE REMER, 0F CIIICAGQ, ILLINOIS.

RAIL-SECURING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patentes@- e 1.9.1.4-

Application led September 2,1, 1911-. Serial No. 650,579. i i

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, lViLLiAw L. DE Rniinn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail- Securing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to securing devices for railroad rails, and the object thereof is to provide'a fastening or securing means which will not be affected by the creeping of the rails oi' the wave motion of the track exceptto4 tighten instead of loosening it, withthe i'esult that my fastening means always provides for firm and secure fastening of the rail and the tie plate (if used) to the tie.

Referring to the usual form of fastening means employing screw spikes, it has been found in practice, more particularly so on double track railways, that the screw spikes on the right-hand side of the running rails of the tracks remain tight, while the other screw spikes,-tliat is, those on the left-liand side of the running` rails of the two tracks, loosen or back ofl', requiring continual attention and re-seating to maintain proper contact with the rails and with the tie plates, if they are used. I have discovered that this condition is due to the creeping of the rails and the wave motion of the track, and the effect thereof upon the screw spikes by reason of the contact of such rails therewith, either as to their heads or shanks, or bot-h. It is well known in practice that, especially where the traic is in one direction, the rails will move or creep in that direction (necessitating a class of rail anchors now comnionly known as anti-creepers), and also that there is a wave motion of the track caused by the rolling load of the equipment, either motor, locomotive, cars, or the entire combination. Inasmuch as the screw spikes are'in contact with the flanges of the rail, as above' stated, it follows that whenthe ordinary screw spike, which has a rightliandthread, is used, the effect. of this creeping movement is to tighten those which are located onl the right-hand side of the running rails, inasmuch as the frictional contact between the rail and the spikes tends to turn the latter in a clockwise `direction,-'

that is, in the direction 'for tightening them, so that perfect contact and proper railsecuring effect is maintained. On 'the other hand, the same creeping movement ofthe rails causes the opposite eff'ect'upon those screw spikes which are located on tlieleft# li and side of the running rails of each track; that is to say, this creeping movement, by reason of frictional Contact with such spikes, turns the latter in an anti-clockwise direcfiomthat is, in a direction to loosentthe saine. rIliis opposite rotation of thesepa'rticular spikes is due to rthe fact thattlie frictionalcontact is on thatside ofthespike opposite to that ofthe spikes on the other side -of the rails. As a result, the contact or abrasive points of the spikes cease.A to act against the rail, so that the latter loses its firm attachment-to the tie until the spikes are reseated. However this constant loosening and -reseating ofthe spikes are detrif mental, as they ca use enlargement offthe spike holes and weakening of the tie, in case of the screw spike anda wearing of the threadf in case the bolt and 'nut (or equivalent) are used. i As a result the'fholdl-f' ing power andefficiency ofthe screw 'spikes o1' bolts are seriouslyvimpair'e'd.

To overcome 'the above difficulty, I have provided a screw spike or bolt of the usual construction' except thaty it has left-liand thread, and I employ such form' of spike or bolts Vin the place of those which are ordi,- narily causedto loosen or back o'ffroin the rail. NVhenthese spikes or bolts are'usedf in such situation, the creeping of the rails tends to tighten them in the same' manner as' the ordinary riglitihand screw spikes or" bolts on" the right-hand side of tlieru'nning rails. By the use of/rightandv left, lia-nd;Y

screw spikes or bolts or the like, there are providedf' in actual practice two opposingforces against the rail, instead ofone,` with the result'that a' more secu're and permanent fastening is afforded, and air-effectual retarding medium' against the rail movement provided,

stood,' my invention in itsbroadest aspect does not requirethe use-ofsuclia plate- Y f `trafiic in the other direction on t-he other" track, yet, such conditions exist to; 'some eX- ytent on af'single track rail-way,for`, as is wellA The pointsI of frictional4 contact' between spike and rail are materially in-j creased by the use of a metal tie plate ofproper construction, but, as'v will be underf known, it is generally the case that there is a greater tratlic or heavier tonnage in one direction on a single track railway than in the other direction, so that there is more wave motion, and the rails are apt to creep more in one direction than in the other. Besides this, there are local conditions, such as grades and curves, which would cause a greater amount of creeping of rails in one direction than in the other, more or less regardless of the proportion of tratlic in the two directions. It will therefore be understood that my new form of rail-securing means, including left-hand screw spikes, bolts or the like in places where the tendency is to loosen ordinary spikes, while useful to a greater extent and to a higher degree in double track railways, is also useful on single track railways.

My invention in its broader aspect is intended for and applicable to any character of rail securing device which is affected by creeping or wave movement of the rails and while in the present application l have shown several forms of such device, it will be understood that l do not limit myself specitically thereto but contemplate using my invention wherever applicable.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a section or portion of a double track railway, the same being what is known as a right-hand road; Fig. 2, a sectional elevation on the line 2-2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3, a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. l, but on a. larger scale; Fig. l, an elevation of my left-hand screw spike; Fig. 5, a plan view similar to Fig. l, but on a larger scale and showing only the outer or right hand running rails and fas tenings of a double track railroad of the right hand kind; Fig. 6, a section similar to Fig. 3, but on a larger scale, and illustrating the friction and contact points and also the friction point retainers and supports; and Figs. 7 and 8 detail views showing track fastening devices employing screw bolts as distinguished from screw spikes.

My invention in its present embodiment, and as herein illustrated, contemplates the employment of a tie plate of suitable construction, but, so far as my invention in its broader aspect is concerned, such tie plate may be wholly dispensed with. Nor is my invention limited to double track railways, inasmuch as the same may be used in connection with single track railways, as hereinbefore stated. However, I will proceed to describe my invention as used on a double track railway and in connection with a tie plate, but with the understanding that such invention is not limited thereto except as expressly specilied in the claim. Moreover, my invention is applicable to rail securing devices employing either screw spikes or screw bolts, both of these attaching means being herein illustrated and described.

ln Figs. il and 2, l have illustrated a portion or section of a double track railway of the right-hand type, having rail securing devices including tie plates and screw spikes, the direction of tratlic being indicated by arrows. The right-hand running rails (which alone are shown in Fig. of each track are indicated at l, and the left-hand running rails at 2. ln the present instance the rails rest upon tie plates 8 of suitable .latructioin and the latter are in turn supported upon cross-ties fl. lVhile the tie plate may be of any usual or suitable construction, l prefer to employ Jthe forni herein shown, in which are provided bosses 3a adjacent the spike holes and also a transverse shoulder 3l at one end of the plate. rlhe top surfaces of these bosses are so shaped or inclined as to correspond with the under side or face of the heads of the screw spikes hereinafter described, so that such heads will at their inner sides bear on the rail flanges and at their outer sides be supported by the bosses. (.)rdinarily the screw spikes employed have been of the. right-hand type,-that is, with the threads suitably formed as right-hand threads, as indicated by the spikes illustratcd herein. As hereinbefore stated, spikes of this character remain properly applied or seated on the right-hand side of the running rails, but become loosened on the left-hand side of such rails, and l have discovered that this is due to the wave motionv or creeping action of the rails in actual prac tice. To overcome this difficulty, therefore, L' employ on the left-hand side of the running rails a different character of spike, the same being of the left-hand type,-that is, with the threads suitably formed as lefthand threads, suchl spikes being indicated herein at t5. The flanges of the rail are in contact, in the present instance, with both the heads of the spikes and with the shanks thereof, so that the same tendency acting to tight-en the screw spikes 5 with the righthand threads serves to tighten the screw spikes G with the left-hand threads, whereas, when all right-hand screw spikes are used, the tendency is to loosen those spikes located on the left-hand side of the running rails. The wave motion or creeping, especially on a double track railway, is in one direction only, so that by frictional contact between the rails and the screw spikes, those spikes on the right-hand side of the running rails will be turned or rotated in a clockwise direction so as to tighten or keep them seated, and, in the case of my new form of screw spikes located on the left-hand side of the ruiming rails (speaking of a right-hand road), the same will be turned or rotated in an anti-clockwise direction, but, as the same have left-hand threads, they will thereby be tightened or kept seated.

The action of the rails upon the spikes at the different friction and contact points will be apparent from an examination of Figs. 5 and 6. As clearly shown in these figures, there are friction and contact points, indicated at a, and also what I term friction point retainers and supporters, indicated at b. It will be noted that the points a are points of frictional contact between the rail ianges and the heads of the screw spikes, and also between the outer edges of said heads and the bosses of the tie plate, while the points Z) are the retainers and supports because they serve to retain and support the screw spikes in their proper applied position. The points of frictional contact at which the movements referred to take place between the rail and spikes are the points a, the tendency being always to rotate the spikes in the creeping or wave movement of the rails. These points are located at both the heads and shanks of the spikes inasmuch as in the particular instance under description both are in contact with the rail but it will be understood that the same action occurs where only the head or the shank has such contact.

For the purpose of making manifest the application of my invention to rail securing devices employing screw bolts I have shown in Figs. 7 and 8 two typical forms, one being used in co-nnection with a wooden tie and the other with a metal tie, it being-understood that other characters and constructions of tie, including the composite tie, and their rail fastenings may be used. Referring to Fig. 7, the fastening devices are two screw bolts 7 and 8, the former having left-hand threads and the latter righthand threads, and both passing through the tie 9 and secured by the two nuts 10 and 11 on the under side thereof. Referring to Fig. 8, the two screw bolts 12 and 13 have respectively left and right hand threads and pass through the metal tie 14, being secured thereto and to the tie plate 15 by the nuts 15 and 16.

When the tie plates are dispensed with, my new form of rail-securing structure is otherwise the same, and the action and result are the same.

By the use of my form of rail-securing means, the rail is maintained at all times and under all conditions in firm and permanent attachment to the tie; the rail, tie plate (if used), screw spike bolt or the like and tie being united into a complete bond. Moreover I contemplate using my invention in any form or construction of rail-securing device to which it is applicable and therefore such invention is not to be limited to any specific form unless expressly required by the claim. Furthermore, I use the designation screw spikes in the claim in its generic sense to include screw bolts and the like.

I claim:

In combination with a railroad rail, and a cross tie, rail securing means comprising a right-hand screw spike screwing into the tie on one side of the rail and a left-hand screw spike screwing into the tie on the other side thereof, both said screw spikes being adapted to be tightened by the creeping action of the rail.

WILLIAM L. DE REMER.

Witnesses:

S. E. I-IIBBEN,

ROBERT DOBBENMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

